In the lab study with species M, N, and O, what relation exists between N and O?
The experimental results identify N and O as a predator-prey pair. Such a relationship is inferred when changes in one species consistently track consumption effects on the other: the consumer benefits or increases when the resource is available, while the resource declines relative to controls, often followed by lagged consumer responses. Pairwise cultures are especially useful because they separate direct effects from interactions mediated by a third species such as M. The wording does not establish which of N or O is the predator, only that exploitation connects them. The underlying numeric
Ref: Ecology: From Individuals to Ecosystems, Begon et al., 5th Ed., Ch. 10
